


Remember

by Butterflywithsass



Category: Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer
Genre: Artemis and Minerva are siblings, Book 5: The Lost Colony, Canon Rewrite, Gen, Long Lost Twins, Minor Character Death, The People messed up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28662135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Butterflywithsass/pseuds/Butterflywithsass
Summary: Artemis is in Sicily investigating the appearance of Demons, when a stranger stirs up old memories.This story is a series of scenes. Everything else happens the same as in the book. I did use some direct lines from the book. I do not own any of this, and all credit goes to Eoin Colfer.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	1. The Opera

Artemis had just watched the execution of a perfect plan. He was impressed. Whoever was behind this was good. More than good, perhaps they were even related.

Now all the prospective kidnappers had to do was cause a distraction, something flashy and loud, but not dangerous. If someone got hurt, there would be an investigation.

Right on cue, a large stage lamp broke free of its rigging and showered the orchestra with glass. It was both loud and distracting.

 _Now if it were me,_ thought Artemis, _I would have Butler drop a black sack over that creature and whisk him out of the stage door into a four-wheel drive. We could be on the ferry to Ravenna before the theater crew got the bulb changed._

Just as the thought occurred to him, a stage trap door opened up under the Demon’s feet, and it disappeared on a hydraulic platform. Artemis’s mysterious adversaries must have hijacked the theater computer system. No doubt there was a car idling outside, waiting to carry the sleeping Demon away.

The girl with raven black hair stood up, accompanied by her two guardians. They were simply leaving, the show was over, and it was time to go.

Artemis recognized the girl from Barcelona. The thin man had miraculously recovered from his injury and carried his crutches under one arm. The girl’s face bore a satisfied smile, the kind that decorated Artemis’s own face after a triumphant mission.

 _It’s the girl_ , thought Artemis, surprised. _She’s the one leading this operation._

The smile, so similar to his own, annoyed Artemis. He was not accustomed to finding himself two steps behind another. She must believe that victory was hers. She may have won this battle, but the campaign was far from over.

_It is time that this girl knew she has an opponent._

As she was leaving, Artemis brought his hands together in a slow clap.

“ _Brava, brava, ragazza.”_ His voice carried over the heads of the audience.

She turned, smile frozen on her lips, and focused her piercing blue eyes on him from across the opera house. If he had been expecting her to falter at the sight of him and his bodyguard, he was disappointed. A shadow of surprise flickered across her face, but she then accepted his applause with a nod and a regal wave. She said two words as she left, and Artemis read her lips.

“Artemis Fowl.”

In the time it took to see the shadow of a breath, Artemis felt something sparking to life in his memory. Everything was silent. He was in the library of his home, but all the bookshelves seemed endlessly tall. The massive form of Butler blocked out some of the dusty sun rays.

Artemis felt afraid. Why?

There was another form above him. It was much smaller than Butler. It had a blank face and was pointing something at Butler. Artemis’s hands felt shaky, and he wanted to scream or throw up. What was happening? Butler did nothing.

Something was gone, missing. Taken?

The thunderous applause of the audience echoed around his mind as he drew himself back to the theater. Everyone was on their feet. The performers were forced to make several curtain calls.

Once it was over, Artemis and Butler wove through the excited operagoers out into a light Sicilian mist. Holly had already followed the abductors to a land rover waiting nearby and from there to Ravenna Ferry.

~ ~ ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive feedback is always welcome


	2. Investigatin

As Artemis and Butler waited for Holly check in with them, Artemis spent the time contemplating the recent mental lapse that had caused such a hallucination. He closed his eyes steepling his hands together and ran through what he had seen. He was at Fowl Manor, in the library. It was most likely late in the day judging by the light rays he had noticed coming in through the window.

Artemis felt his fingers tingling again, his stomach felt as though there were a hundred tiny hands clawing at him from the inside. He had seen Butler. Butler had done nothing but stand there. As Artemis recalled it even more clearly now, he saw that Butler was tensed. Every muscle was ready for action and his hand was close to the gun by his side, but now he simply stood there. Artemis felt someone’s arms wrap around and pull him away from Butler. Artemis opened his mouth to call for help, but Butler remained still. He did not even turn his head. Artemis was being lifted up into the air.

~ ~ ~

“How long till we get to Nice, Minerva?” He had called the girl Minerva. Butler watched Artemis closely as they waited for Holly to return. After a while, he quietly got up and left the room. “Foaly, can you identify the girl?” Butler heard a slight clicking then, “It took a while, but I tracked down this mystery girl.”

“Who is she Foaly?” Artemis had followed Butler out of the hotel and now spoke, “Honestly, I am amazed I don’t already know her.”

“Minerva Paradizo. Fourteen years old. She grew up in the South of France. The bespectacled man is her father, Gaspar Paradizo.” Artemis remembered the man; he was an elderly man with receding blond hair. “He is a cosmetic surgeon of Brazilian descent. The mother left a year ago. Lives in Marseilles with the ex-gardener.”

“If he is a cosmetic surgeon, how come it took so long to find these people? There must have been records or pictures.”

“That’s just it, there are no pictures on the internet. Not even a local newspaper snapshot. I got the feeling that someone has tried to wipe out every e-trace of this girl.”

“But nobody can hide from you, Foaly.”

“Exactly. I ran a deep probe and found a ghost image on a French TV archive page. Once I had the name it was easy to find the rest. She’s quite something Artemis. She’s already completed high school and is studying for two distance learning degrees – Quantum Physics and Psychology. I suspect she also has a doctorate in chemistry under an assumed name.”

“What about the others?” asked Holly.

“The Latin one is Jan Soto, head of Soto security. He seems to be a legitimate security officer. Not much expertise, hardly any training, nothing to worry about.”

“And the sniper?”

“The crutch guy is Billy Kong. I really nasty piece of work. I am sending the file to your helmet.”

Artemis cleared his throat, “I don’t happen to have a helmet, Foaly.”

“Oh, yeah, little mister low-tech,” said Foaly, his voice dripping with condescension. “Shall I read it for you?”

“If your mighty intellect can bear to use simple vocalization.”

“Okay, Billy Kong, joined a circus, lost an eye in a fight with a tiger.”

Artemis groaned, “Please Foaly, we don’t have time for jokes.”


	3. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Artemis and Butler talk.

Butler attempted once again to find a quiet moment in which to do a little investigation. Minerva Paradizo. He gazed at picture. It could be her or it could not. He did not want to upset Artemis for nothing. Seeing as Artemis never brought her up, it seemed as if he had made peace with her loss years ago. If he warned Artemis about Minerva, it could turn out to be simply another smart girl with the same name. But what are the odds, really, that another juvenile genius with the name Minerva and an interest in the People would be out there? Still, he had to be sure. Making sure he had locked the door to the bathroom he was hiding in, he called Foaly once again.

“Foaly, could you send me any records of the People’s involvement with Fowl family within the last fifteen years?”

“Sure, big man. I am, of course, just sitting here twiddling my fingers waiting to answer any random question you may have because I am definitely not trying to solve a lower elements emergency right now.” 

“Please, Foaly, I would just like to make sure there are no factors we may not be aware of that could affect this mission.”

“That is oddly specific. Fine, would you like me to remove all the records of the times your Principle tried to steal from us or leave them in?”

“Are there any records on Artemis from before the Fowl Manor Siege?”

“Well, we keep records on certain families that have a history of meddling with the People, but nothing about Artemis specifically. Wait, there _is_ a report of a child seeing one of our corporals without his shield during the ritual. No big deal, we sent some people to wipe him. I had my assistant deal with it. I assume that could have been Artemis, seems about the right age. You probably don’t remember. They probably wiped you too.”

“Tell your assistant,” Butler cut in sharply, “that they should be fired for sloppy and overly careless work. Because I do remember it as a matter of fact.”

“What a second. You saw a member of the People?”

“Yes, well, I didn’t realize at the time. All I remember is a rather small burglar sneaking in through the window. They must have somehow gotten through the security.” Butler hesitated, it still gave him a feeling of shame to remember. His whole body had seized up, everything blurred, and then he had awoken on the carpet several hours later with no sign of his two Principles. He must have been under a Mesmer.

For the next forty-eight hours, Butler had contacted everyone he knew, asking about a small, child-sized kidnapper. He had met with several contacts in London who claimed they had seen a dwarf escorting two small children onto a plane. They had in fact been lying for the sake of the enormous bounty Butler had promised to find the two Fowls.

There was no sign of them until Angeline had found Artemis wandering the grounds alone. They had asked him what happened, but he seemed not to understand, and they left him alone for fear of traumatizing him.

“Then they took Artemis. We didn’t find him until the next day. You can blame that idiot secretary for Artemis’s discovery of the People.”

“You don’t have worry about him, I fired him a few years ago.”

“That, however, is not what am calling about. This Minerva character. Is it possible to confirm her parentage?”

“Umm, yet another odd question. However, the answer is no. Not unless I can actually collect a DNA sample from her.”

There was a pause.

“Now it is probably not my business, but if this has to do with the People’s security...,” he paused again.

“Yes. The next time you mind-wipe people, make sure you return them.”

Butler hung up. He knew it was rude. A mixture of relief, worry, and guilt was sloshing around in his gut, and right now all he could feel was complete confusion and little bit of panic. What was he going to tell Artemis?

Butler had not figured it out when he finally left the bathroom. He flung open the door only to hear a cry of pain from behind it.

Glancing down he saw Artemis holding his head.

“Really, Butler! Must you always be so violent? I could have gotten a concussion!”

“So, listening to people in the bathroom is a thing you do now?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then what do you call this?” asked Butler as he helped Artemis up.

“Well, I found it rather suspicious when I saw you dialing your phone as you somehow had to use the restroom for the second time in under thirty minutes.”

“So, you decided to eavesdrop? Really, Artemis? Am I not allowed to make a phone call in private?”

Artemis was unabashed. “You have been watching me like a hawk ever since the opera. You have also run over seven different searches on Minerva Paradizo. If this is related to the demon kidnapping, I hardly think I should be excluded.” Artemis looked like he was about to continue but stopped.

“And?”

“I have been experiencing strange hallucinations. It began when I saw Miss Paradizo in the opera, and she seemed to know me. And now it seems as though you know or suspect something about her that you do not see fit to share with me. And how do you somehow know about an encounter I had with people years ago that I do not know about. It seems like an awfully important memory, being lost for two days alone at the age of four. How come you never even mentioned this? I must have been mind-wiped, but how come you remember? How did you even let that happen? And what does this have to do with Miss Paradizo? What did you mean when you said ‘make sure you return them’? Who is ‘them’? I did return, or are you referring to someone else?”

Butler sat down. Given time, Artemis would find out for himself. There was no hiding anything from him anymore. He couldn’t lie. It had hurt when Artemis had asked how he could have let him be taken.

“Now, I have no idea if this is even the same person. At the time, I theorized that it was some group of thugs looking for easy money or some of your father’s enemies. One of them came in through the window of the library. You and Minerva were arguing. I remember hearing the word ‘fairy,’ but thought nothing of it. You said something, and immediately this small man jumped in from the garden. I was about to draw my gun, when he just spoke to me calmly. “He said, _‘You will fall asleep now_ ,’ and that is what I did. I just remember the two of you … you just disappeared. Like you were never there. We found you in the woods nearby later. I thought at the time the kidnappers had gotten cold feet and killed you and Minerva, but somehow you got away. I don’t suppose you remember?”

Artemis felt sick again. He clamped his hands together to stop them from trembling in front of Butler. The question gave him a strange feeling. Blinking, he caught a glimpse of a hand placing something on his forehead as he lay on a small, cold medical table. “No, I don’t remember what happened.”

“I realize this is a lot to take in.”

“Thank you, Butler, for stating the obvious. They must have Mesmerized you and used Camfoil to hide us. Why would they even go to the trouble though? I must have known something.”

“Foaly said you saw a fairy completing the ritual. Do you remember?”

“No, nothing.”

“What do we do now? It is likely that this girl is your sister. She has the same mannerisms, the same genius IQ, and the same propensity for supernatural crime. And the same…uh… pride. She even looks like you.” He handed Artemis his phone so he could see the picture they had taken of her.

Artemis looked at her. There was indeed a similarity, striking now that it had been pointed out. She had dark black hair and blue eyes. Her skin was slightly darker, probably a tan due to her more southern upbringing.

“For now, I intend to do nothing. Nothing, at least, on this matter.”

“What about your parents? They should know.”

“Indeed, they should, if this girl is indeed my sister. However, now all we have is a suspicion. More urgently however, we have a demon to rescue before Minerva exposes all of fairy kind. I think this is more important than whatever genetics may or may not exist between the two of us.”

“If you insist.”

This was partly a stalling tactic on Artemis’s part until he had time to comprehend what had just been revealed. However, he did believe that the mission, in this case, came first. For the time being, Minerva was an opponent. They were playing very dangerous game, and Artemis would win.


	4. Phone Call

Minerva accepted the phone from her security guard.

“Minerva Paradizo speaking,”

“Minerva, this is Artemis Fowl. We met once across a crowded room in Sicily.”

“I know who you are. We almost met in Barcelona too. And I know it is really you. I memorized your voice pattern and cadence from the lecture you gave on Balkan politics two years ago at Trinity College.”

“Very good. I find it strange that I have not heard of you.”

“I am not as careless as you, Artemis. I prefer anonymity. Until I have something exceptional to be recognized for.”

“The existence of Demons for example. That would be exceptional.” They were getting to the main topic of his call now. He had chosen not to reveal the fact of their familial connection to her as it would only anger her and set her against him if he were to make such wild claims. There was something about her voice through the phone. It carried a thick French accent, but it stirred within him something old and forgotten. His hand on the phone trembled, and he heard something. A child. Who was it? It was male. It was laughing. “You speak of fairy tales, Minerva. Fairies, what nonsense.” He heard the boy laugh again. Artemis closed his other hand letting the touch bring him back to the present. Minerva was speaking again.

“Yes, Master Fowl. It would be exceptional. It is exceptional, so you can keep your Irish paws off my research. The last thing I need is for some big-headed teenage boy to hijack all my work at the last moment. You had your own Demon, but that wasn’t enough. You had to try and steal mine too. The moment I recognized you in Barcelona, I knew you would be after my research subject. I knew you would try and smoke us out, hide someone in the car. It was the logical thing to do. So, I trapped the vehicle. You knocked out my baby brother, too. How could you!”

“Apparently, I did you a favor,” said Artemis lightly, “I hear he is obnoxious by all accounts.”

“Is that why you call me? To insult my family?”

“Of course not. I apologize.” Artemis had not meant to provoke her. He would usually have paid better attention to his words, but he was too distracted by the echoing voices in his memory. There was the feeling that he had done something wrong, something catastrophic. But not here. Not now. A long time ago. What was it?

“No. That was juvenile. I called you to try and make you see sense. There is much more at stake here than a Nobel Prize, not to belittle the Prize of course.”

Minerva smiled knowingly, “Artemis Fowl. Whatever pretense you called me on is because your plan failed. I have your Demon, and you want her back. But if it makes you feel better, please proceed with your ‘Good of Humanity’ speech.”

Artemis frowned. Minerva reminded him a little too much of himself a few months ago. When achievement and acquisition were everything and family and friends were secondary. The last few logical arguments that told him Minerva was not his sister, and that this was somehow a mistake began to flicker out. And as they did, more sounds came. The muffled thud of Butler hitting the carpeted floor still as statue. He felt something on his arm, as though someone were taking his blood pressure, a hand, ghostly with memory. Someone had grabbed his arm and was pulling away.

Artemis took a breath shutting himself away from those voices. “Miss Paradizo. Minerva, listen to me for a few moments. You will feel the truth of what I say.”

Minerva tutted, “Why is that? Is it because we are connected?”

“Actually, we are,” Artemis paused for a few moments, planning his words carefully. “We are very similar people. Both of us are the most intelligent person in whatever room we enter. Both constantly underestimated. Both determined to shine the brightest in whatever discipline we pursue. Both dogged by scorn and loneliness.”

“Ridiculous!” scoffed Minerva. But her protestations rang hollow. “I am not lonely! I have my work.”

Artemis persisted, “I know how it feels Minerva, and let me tell you, no matter how many prizes you win, no matter how many theorems you prove, it will not be enough to make people like you.” He knew she did not want to hear what he said, and she probably would not listen, but he said it anyway.

“Please! Spare me your amateur psychology lesson.”

“Hardly an amateur. I have written a paper on the subject in _Psychology Today_ under the pseudonym Doctor C. Nial Demensha”

Minerva giggled, “I get it! Senile dementia, very good.”

Artemis himself smiled, “You’re the first person to get that.”

“I always am.”

“Me too.”

“And don’t you find that tiresome?”

“Incredibly! I mean, what is wrong with people! Everyone says I have no sense of humor, and then I construct a perfectly sound pun around a well-known psychological condition and it is ignored.”

“Absolutely. That happens to me all the time.”

“I loved that ‘Kidnapping a quark’ joke that you did on the train. Very clever analogy.”

The comfortable conversation ground to a frosty halt.

“How did you hear that? How long have you been spying on me?”

Artemis was quietly stunned. He had not meant to reveal that fact. It was most unlike him to chatter on about nothing when there were lives at stake, but despite everything he found himself amused by Minerva. She was so like him.

“There was a security camera on the train. I procured the tapes, had it enhanced, and read your lips.”

“I don’t remember a camera.”

“It was there in a plastic bauble. I apologize for the intrusion on your privacy. It was an emergency.”

Minerva was silent for a moment, “Artemis, we could have lot to talk about. I haven’t talked this much with anyone my age in, well, forever. But I have to finish this project. Could you call me again in six weeks?”

“In six weeks, it will be too late. The world will be a different place, and possible not a better one.”

“Artemis stop it. I was just starting to like you, and now we’re back where we started.”

Artemis had almost forgotten why he had called, and now he felt he had lost the element of persuasion.

“Give me a minute,” said Artemis. “If a can’t convince you in a single minute, I will hang up and leave you to your research.”

“Fifty-nine,” said Minerva, “fifty-eight.”

“You are holding two creatures captive. Both sentient, and neither human. If you expose either one to the wider scientific community then they will be hunted down. You will be responsible for the extinction of at least one species. Is that what you want?”

“That’s what they want,” retorted Minerva. “The first one we rescued threatened to kill us all and possibly eat us. He said that the Demons would return and wipe out the human scourge.”

“I know all about Abbot,” said Artemis, using what he had learned from Minerva’s own computers. “He was a dinosaur. Demons could never take on humans now. Judging by my temporal calculations, Abbot was whisked ten thousand years into his future and back again. Declaring war on Demons would be like declaring war on monkeys. In fact, monkeys would be a bigger threat. There are more of them. Anyway, the Demons can’t fully materialize unless we shoot them full of silver.”

“I am sure they will find a way around that. Or one could get through accidentally just like Abbot, then open the gateway for the others.”

“Highly unlikely, Minerva. What are the odds?”

“So now you want me to forget all about my Nobel project and turn my Demon captives loose?”

“Forget the project certainly,” said Artemis who was checking his watch. “However, there will be no need to set your captives free.”

“Oh _really_. And why is that?”

“Because I imagine they are already gone.”

Minerva spun around on the spot and stared at the spot N01° had been sitting. He was gone. Her captive Demon had disappeared along with his chair. A sweep of the room told her that it was empty except for her.

“Where is he, Artemis!” Minerva screamed into the phone, “Where is my prize!”

“Forget all about this,” said Artemis softly. “It is not worth it. Take it from someone who has made your mistakes. I’ll call you soon.”

Minerva squeezed the phone as though it were Artemis’s neck. “You tricked me!” The truth suddenly dawning on her. “You allowed me to capture your Demon!”

But Artemis did not reply. He had reluctantly closed his fist on the conversation. Generally outsmarting someone gave him a warm fuzzy feeling inside, but hoodwinking Minerva just made him feel like a sneak. It was ironic that he was feeling like a bad guy, now that he was trying to do something good. There was something about her that reminded him of his mother. The way they could both activate his conscience at their whim. He wondered how she would react if he told he was her brother. She would probably laugh and call him an idiot, or maybe she would be angry. Would she forgive him for ruining her work? He would have even less credibility with her now. He would not tell her. At least not now. He would wait until all of this was settled. He hoped it would be, very soon.


	5. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for a character death in this chapter.

If Minerva had been paying attention when she gathered with Mr. Kong, Mr. Soto, and her father on the patio a few hours later, she would have noticed how Billy Kong appeared agitated. He balled his fists and muttered to himself like a mad man speaking to shadows. “Demons. True, all true. I need to finish what he started. I owe him that much.”

However, Minerva was too occupied by her own problems to notice Kong. That odious Fowl boy had not only stolen her study subject from right her nose, he had also trashed her Chateau in the process. For the life of her she could not figure how he had done it. She had been distracted during the call. Something about Artemis’s voice had made her hands tremble.

Then she had heard something … voices. A boy was laughing at her. Why? She heard the rustling of leaves underfoot. Minerva closed her eyes trying to block out the sounds, but instead she saw with strange clarity. She was pushing a clump of grass aside. She looked out from behind them and saw a small figure. It had light translucent wings on its back, and it bent to the ground as she watched. Suddenly a net of sparks snaked up the figure’s arm, and Minerva cried out in surprise. The figure stood up. Fear clenched her stomach and she ran back down the hill to a large old house. Her home? She couldn’t remember.

Gaspar rose from his chair and circled the table toward his daughter. “I think, Minerva,” he said standing beside her, “that we have gone too far in this matter. There are other worldly forces at work here. Danger follows these creatures, and I can no longer allow you to place yourself or others in harm’s way. We fought a noble fight, and I am so proud of you that my heart might burst. But now, this must become a government matter.”

Minerva glanced up at him. Was this it? He was just giving up?

“It can’t, Papa!” said Minerva. “We have no records. No sources. Nothing! All our computer files and disks were destroyed. They even drilled the safe and burned everything in it. I think Artemis even crashed Google and Yahoo! It hopeless. How would it look? A little girl showing up at the department of defense whittering on about monsters in the basement. I need evidence!”

Gaspar stood up. “Evidence, little one. They are not criminals. I watched you talk with our visitor. He was alert, intelligent. He had done nothing wrong. He was not an animal. It is one thing to present the Nobel committee with proof of an invasion through time, quite another to hound sentient creatures.”

“But, Papa. One more try. I need a month to rebuild my time tunnel model. Then I can make a materialization prediction.”

Gaspar kissed his daughter on the forehead, “Look into your heart my little genius. What does it tell you to do?”

Minerva scowled. Papa was being mushy again. “Look into my heart! Honestly, Papa, I am not a Care Bear.”

“Please, _cheri_ ,” said her father. “You know I love you and I respect your genius, but just for once could I just buy you a pony? I could get that Jason Timberluck... uh… that guy… to play at your birthday?”

Minerva fumed for several moments, but she knew he was right. She had no business detaining intelligent creatures. It was cruelty, nothing less. Especially when they intended no harm. But she could not just give up. Minerva silently resolved that Artemis Fowl would be her next project. She would find out all he knew on Demons. Minerva opened a small mirror she carried to check her makeup. She knew it was strange wearing makeup at her age, but she never wore very much. Somehow, as she gazed at her reflection it morphed into that of Artemis. Minerva shut it with a snap and turned to her father.

“Very well, Papa,” she sighed. “For you, I will forget my Nobel project. This year at any rate.”

_Next year would be different. When I know all that Artemis Fowl knows, there will be whole worlds within my grasp._

Gaspar embraced his adopted daughter warmly, “Good. It is for the best. Now Mr. Soto, damage report?”

Soto was about to list the extensive damage done to the Château, but he was interrupted when Billy Kong suddenly slammed his fist onto the glass table.

“No! This will not do. Absolutely not! I need another Demon!”

Gaspar frowned, “That unhappy experiment is over. I should never have allowed it. I was blinded by pride and ambition. There will be no more Demons in this house.”

“Unacceptable!” said Kong as though he were the employer. “His work must be completed. I owe him that much!”

“Now, listen here mister,” said Soto sternly. “What you do or do not find acceptable is hardly an issue. You and your men were hired to do a job and that job does not include pronouncements on what is or is not acceptable.”

Kong seemed to have calmed himself as Soto spoke. “Now you need to understand a few things here, Paradizo. You are not in control here. Secondly, I don’t generally work on this side of the law. My specialty is taking whatever I want by whatever means necessary. I only signed on for this baby-sitting job because I owe these Demons some payback.” Kong opened his jacket to reveal a small mic. “Alright men, Open the Horse.”

It was Minerva who first understood the meaning of these words, and she ran around the table her father. “We need to leave now, Papa!”

 _“Cheri_ … I have agreed to almost everything you have asked of me, but this is ridiculous! We live here!”

“Please, Papa! We are danger here!”

Before Minerva could say another word, Kong had drawn a gun. Soto, for all his training, had little experience with danger. He died quickly. In another shot, Minerva felt her father lurch backward in his chair. She lunged under the table for safety. As she hit the ground, her senses blurred. Everything became quiet. Images raced through her mind. A large man, standing in the library. She knew him. He would keep her safe. How did she know this? He was still. She heard a cry for help, but it was not her own. It belonged to the small boy running toward her. She felt a jerk on her arm, and then the boy was grabbed by another of those small masked people. She tried to move toward him. Artemis was in trouble. The images cleared as she heard a choked sob rising in her own mouth. She was vaguely aware of Kong standing before her. All she could think now was how alone she was. Minerva was alone. Had she always been alone? The sounds came back and yanked her back to reality. The gun was pointed at her now. The room was silent except for Minerva’s breathing.

Music shattered the silence, and in a few moments, Minerva realized this emanated from Kong’s trouser pocket. Kong frowned and answered the call, “Who is this?

“My name is not important. What is important is that I have something you want.”

“How did you get this number?”

“I have a friend,” replied the caller. “He knows all the numbers. Now to business. I believe you’re in the market for a Demon.”


	6. Negotiation

Minutes earlier, Butler had pulled off the motorway at the airport and crammed himself into the backseat with Artemis and Holly. They had watched the tragedy unfold in the Château Paradizo on Artemis’s laptop.

“I cannot allow this!” Holly placed a hand over his. Holly knew nothing of Artemis’s connection to Minerva, but she could tell he was attached to her.

“We have no choice, Artemis. I can’t risk exposing the Demons.”

Artemis sighed. “I know, of course. But,” he glanced sharply at Butler, “I must interfere, Holly. She’s my sister.”

“Uh… I’m sorry! What?” Holly shouted, so close to Artemis’s ear it made him wince. Artemis rubbed his eyes, suddenly fatigued. “I am responsible indirectly. Holly, do what you have to, but I will try to salvage this if I can.”

“Conscience!” said N01° delightedly. “What an amazing word! The ‘shh’ sound in the middle!”

Clearly, the little Demon hadn’t been paying attention or didn’t understand the gravity of what was unfolding on the laptop. Artemis looked over at him, his eyes falling on the Demon’s chest markings. It now made sense, and he remembered where he had seen those marking before.

“Holly, do trust me?”

“Wait a minute… of course I don’t trust you! You have a sister? Did you know about her?”

“Yes, I have a sister. No, I did not know about her. Now, do you trust me?”

“Artemis please don’t ask me that. I just know it’s going to be one of your crazy plans.”

“Do you trust me?”

“D’Arvit! Blerrgh. Yes, fine!” Holly sighed, “Frond help me.”

“Well then, trust me to get us all out of this. I’ll explain later. Foaly, can you put me through to Mr. Kong?” 

“Not a problem,” replied the centaur from Section Eight Headquarters, “but I am afraid it’s the last thing a can do for you. Sul has tracked my line out. In thirty seconds, I am going to be shut down and you’ll be on your own.”

“I understand.”

Butler placed his hand Artemis’s shoulder. “If you call, then he has the upper hand. Kong will want to choose where to meet.”

“I know where we should meet. I just need to convince Mr. Kong that it’s his idea.” Artemis closed his fist, taking a deep breath. He had been in hostage situations before. After all that’s how he met Holly, but he was unused to being the one trying to negotiate. Hostage taking had usually been his role.

“Who is this?” snapped Kong.

“My name is not important. The important thing is that I have something you want.”

“How did you get this number?”

“I have a friend. He knows all the numbers. Now, to business. I believe you’re in the market for a Demon.”

“Ah, so you must be the great Artemis Fowl. Minerva’s idol. I’m so sick of you smartass kids. Why can’t you just boost cars or steal stuff like normal kids?”

“We do steal stuff… just bigger stuff. Now, are you interested in my Demon or not?”

“I could be. What do you have in mind?” answered Kong.

“A straight trade. I pick a public place, and we swap. My Demon for Miss Paradizo.”

“You’re not picking anything, kid. I pick the rendezvous point. You called me remember? What do want with this girl anyway?”

“Her life,” said Artemis simply. “I do not like murder or murderers. You and your crew walk out of there with one hostage, and we do a swap. It’s a simple transaction. Don’t tell me you’ve never released a hostage before?”

“I’m an old hand, kid. I’ve been picking up ransoms for years.”

“Good. I am glad we can do business. Now why don’t you name your preferred location. I’ll be wearing a burgundy _tie_. _Pay_ attention to that. There are a _hundred and one_ ways this could go wrong. If it does, the police could _tie one_ of us away for a very long time.”

In the car, Holly looked curiously at Artemis. It wasn’t like him to chatter away like this.

“Okay,” said Kong. “Just thought of somewhere. Taipei 101. Taiwan.”

“In Taiwan? One of the world’s tallest buildings? You can’t be serious. It’s on the far side of the world.”

“I am deadly serious. Taipei is my second home. I know it well. You will have a tough enough time getting there by the deadline, so there’ll be no tricks. We’ll exchange on the observation deck at twelve noon. Two days from now. If you don’t show, then the girl takes the express elevator down… _if_ you see what I mean.”

“I see. I’ll be there.”

“And don’t come alone. Bring the Demon.”

“Of course.”

“See how easy it is to make deals with me? I am a generous man… unless you cross me.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”


	7. Disappearance

“Artemis, this no time fall apart.”

They were in the museum, with Butler piling unconscious bodies of Kong’s men by the door. The Taiwanese Police were attempting to get through the door, Holly had a bomb strapped to her ankle, and Artemis was thinking.

“Young lady, give him a moment,” said Butler sternly.

Artemis gave himself twenty seconds to consider options. What he came up with was far from perfect.

“Very well. Holly, you must fly us out of here.”

“It will take two trips, maybe three.”

“No time for that. The bomb must go first. There are a lot of people in this building. I must go with the bomb, as there is a chance I can diffuse it, and the fairies must come too. It is imperative that they are not taken into custody.”

“I can’t allow this,” interjected Butler. “I have a duty to your parents.”

Artemis forced himself to be stern with Butler, “I am giving you a new duty. Look after Minerva. Keep her safe until we can rendezvous.”

“Let Holly fly out over the sea and drop the bomb,” Butler urged. “We can mount a rescue operation later.”

“It will be too late. If we don’t get these fairies out of here, the eyes of the world will be on Taipei. And anyway, the local seas are thronged with fishing boats. This is the only way. I will not allow humans or fairies to die when I might have prevented it.”

Butler would not give up, “Listen to yourself. You sound like… like… a good guy,” he finished lamely. “There is nothing in this for you.”

Artemis had no time for emotion, “In the words of H.P. Woodman, old friend, time is ticking on, and so we must be gone. Holly, tie us to your belt, all except Butler and Minerva.”

Holly did as she was told, still slightly shellshocked.

Butler helped Artemis tie the rope around him, “This is it Artemis. I swear, when we get home I am retiring. I am older than I look, and I feel older than I am. No more plotting. Promise me.”

Artemis forced a smile, “I am simply flying to the next building. If I cannot diffuse the bomb, then Holly will fly it out to sea and endeavor to find a safe spot.”

They both knew that Artemis was lying. If he could not diffuse the bomb, then there would be no time to find a safe drop point.

“Here,” said Minerva, stepping forward and handing him a flat leather wallet. “These are my picks, so you can at least get inside to the wiring.”

“Thank you,” said Artemis brusquely.

“Okay, everyone ready?” asked Holly.

“Okay, one building, that’s as far as you have to go,” said Butler.

“Get that panel off, and go straight for the explosive itself. Rip out the detonator if you have to,” said Minerva quickly. It was dawning on her now why Artemis was so familiar to her.

“Understood,” Artemis said grimly.

Minerva spoke quietly, “Good luck.”

“I’ll see you as soon as I can talk us out of here,” Butler said firmly.

“Thirty minutes, if that,” Artemis sounded more confident than he actually felt. “Okay, Holly, lift off.”

~ ~ ~

Artemis, Holly, Quan, and N01° had disappeared. Butler blinked. Of course, Artemis had a backup plan. That boy never even went to the bathroom without a backup plan.

Minerva was crying. The shock and grief of the last few days were weighing her down. “They’re all dead, aren’t they?”

“No, just gone for a while,” said Butler, as he would for the next few years. “We’re going to need to talk ourselves out of this before the police arrive, Daughter.”

“Daughter?”

Butler winked though he felt anything but cheery, “Yes. Daughter.”

Seconds later, a squad of Taiwanese police heaved open the door, flooding the room with blue and grey uniforms. Butler found himself looking down the barrels of a dozen police firearms. The inspector ambled over to the dozen unconscious men lying on the floor, “You did this?”

“Not me. We were hiding behind a crate over in the corner. They blew up the sculpture and then started fighting among themselves.”

The inspector appeared confused, “Do you have any idea why these people would want to destroy a sculpture?”

Butler shrugged, “I think they believe they’re anarchists. Who knows with these people?”

“They have no ID?” asked the inspector. “Not one of them? I find that a bit strange.”

Butler smiled bitterly. After all Kong had done, he would only be prosecuted for property damage. Then something occurred to him, something Holly mentioned about Kong using a knife against a friend in Taiwan. Kong was wanted for murder in Taiwan, and there was no statute of limitations for murder. “I heard them talking to that one,” said Butler pointing to Billy Kong. “They called him Mr. Lee or Jonah. He was the boss.”

Now the inspector appeared to be very interested, “Did you hear anything else?”

Butler frowned, as if he were thinking hard about it. “One of them said … well, I don’t even know what it means.”

“Go on,” urged the inspector eagerly.

“He said… let me think… he said, ‘you’re not such a tough guy, Jonah. You haven’t notched your barrel in years.’ What does that mean… ‘notching your barrel?’”

The inspector took out a mobile phone from his pocket. “It means that this man is potentially a murder suspect! Thank you, mister…?”

“Arnot,” said Butler, “Franklin Arnot, New York City.” He had been using the Arnot passport for several years, and it was suitably weather-beaten.

“Thank you, Mr. Arnot. You may have just caught us a murderer.”

Butler blinked innocently, “A murderer? Wow. Did you hear that Alise? Your Dad caught a murderer!”

“Well done, Dad,” said Alise, looking rather upset at “Dad” for some reason.

The inspector continued his inquiries, but stopped again. “The curator said there was another person with a you? A boy? A friend of yours?”

“Yes, and no. He’s my son, Arty.”

“I don’t see him around?”

“He just stepped out for a moment, but he’ll be back in just a second.”

“Are you sure?”

Butler’s eyes lost their focus, “Yeah, I’m sure. He told me he would.”


	8. Remembering

While the first journey through time was rather violent, the return journey was simply strange from the start. With Hybris moving them, the feeling was different. It felt as if the magic around him were a river of fire. He somehow collected some in his hand and gazed at it while the universe swirled around the tiny point of reality that was their minds. He could feel the thoughts of the others. Then, all at once, there was nothing. No Holly holding his hand, no spinning array of fire and light. Light came back, but it was a peaceful dusty light. He was in his library at home. Amazing, thought Artemis. My mind must have conjured an imaginary safe place to make sense of what is happing.

_But there were people in the library. Butler stood browsing the books, while a little black-haired boy sat in a large armchair reading. That must be me. This must be a memory. But why this memory? _

_The door opened and a small girl came running in calling, “Artemis!”_

_“What is it?” The boy looked up from his reading._

_“Fairies! I saw one! They’re real! They’re coming!”_

_“Fairies? That’s nonsense, Minerva.”_

_“No, it’s true! It saw me,” Minerva was growing more and more agitated._

_Artemis noticed her increasing fear and smiled to calm her, “Fairies aren’t real, Minerva. Here I’ll show you.”_

_Artemis opened the window with difficulty, as he had to stand on the tips of his toes to reach._

_“I don’t see any fairies,” he said as he glanced out briefly._

_“You don’t understand Artemis. They’re coming! It was following me back from the forest!”_

_“Minerva, calm yourself, please. This is a fear you must overcome.”_

_Butler at first startled at her fright, but determined that it was probably a normal children’s argument and had gone back to the books._

_Artemis turned back to the window speaking to the open air outside, “Well, fairy, you have given my sister quite a fright. Come inside and explain yourself.”_

_There was nothing, only the rustling of the breeze outside. But to the older Artemis watching, he now thought he caught a slight shimmer on the windowsill._

_The young Artemis turned to Minerva in smug arrogance. Clearly, he believed with the logic of his age that he had beaten back her fear through his superior intellect._

_The smile vanished when something tugged him backward. Out of nowhere, the masked figure of a sprite appeared. He had taken ahold of the small boy and now moved toward Minerva._

_As the older Artemis watched, Butler moved forward with the speed of a tiger, reaching for his gun, but stopped suddenly as the sprite opened his visor and spoke, his voice layered with the hypotonic Mesmer._

_“They will be perfectly safe.”_

_Butler stiffened and drew his gun._

_“You are feeling very tired. So tired that you may pass out.”_

_Butler stopped his movement, but still strained, ready to strike. He was fighting the Mesmer, but only his eyes showed the struggle._

_“You are going to pass out now,” spoke the small figure._

_Butler fell backward and hit the carpeted ground._

_Both Artemis and Minerva wriggled and punched pathetically against the sprite’s suit. The sprite looked down at the two Mudchildren he carried, in surprise, as though he had barely noticed their blows._

_He quickly took out a small syringe and pierced Minerva’s arm. She struggled for another few seconds and then passed out. The sprite repeated the action with the young Artemis. When he was sure everyone was asleep, he carefully wrapped the two children in Camfoil and turned toward the window, stopping to speak into his helmet mic. “Yes, I have her. There was another one as well. No, I wasn’t seen. We’ll just wipe them and drop them off on the grounds. It’ll be easier that way. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours. I don’t think the parents will notice. Mudpeople lose children all the time.”_

_I did it, thought the older Artemis in horror. I invited them in! Minerva was right. Before Artemis could feel anything other than sorrow and guilt, as he looked around the ever so familiar room, it dissolved back into a raging tempest of light and color._


	9. The End

Artemis arrived at Fowl Manor three years later. He supposed he was relieved he had returned from Hybris safe at all. But he could not deny the nervousness he felt when he carefully knocked at the door of his home. It felt like only few days ago, but to everyone else he was practically a stranger in his family. Just as Minerva had been. Where was she now? Where was Butler? What had happened to his parents? The garden Angeline so lovingly tended was carefully trimmed and cut back before the onslaught of winter. It had been in full bloom when Artemis had left.

Artemis knocked again and waited. He remembered clearly now the events that had led to Minerva’s separation from the family. Artemis had invited the People in through his own prideful overconfidence. Did Minerva know as well? Maybe she did not want anything to do with him even if she did know the truth.

His thoughts were cut short as the door opened. Butler towered above him. Artemis’s shoulders relaxed as his worst fears were dispelled upon seeing Butler.

“Artemis?” Butler looked as though did not quite believe his own senses.

“I am here Butler.”

The next few minutes were a disjointed mix of people and exclamations of joy. Butler whisked him inside and called down his parents, “Mr. and Mrs. Fowl! He’s here! Artemis is home!” Butler was guiding him to the living room while holding his hand so tightly he might not ever let go.

“Artemis home? What do you mean?” Angeline swept into the room and, upon setting eyes on her son, let out a scream of surprise and happiness. Artemis soon found himself smothered in the hysterical embrace of his parents. Angeline was crying, which made his father cry, which made Artemis’s own eyes just a tiny bit blurry.

“What’s happening?” said a woman’s voice.

Artemis looked up to see Minerva. She was tall and striking now that she was older. At first, he saw disbelief in her face. Their parents let go of Artemis as Minerva came closer. Then she stopped. He could no longer read her face.

“So, you did it? You saved the Demons?”

Her voice had lost much of the French lilt. She was taller than him. Did she remember what he remembered?

“Yes. Hybris is safe.” Artemis was not sure what else to say to her. She was in their house, so she must know, right? Artemis’s usually quick deductions flowed dry, as it often did when he was confronted by Angeline.

In the next few moments, Minerva had stepped forward and given him a quick hug as well. Then she awkwardly released him. She smiled, “You’re safe too, now. And you’re home.”

“Yes. I’m home… and I hope you are too.”

Minerva smiled warmly at him this time. “Yes, I am.”

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is welcome! Please comment I love talking about this stuff.


End file.
